Customer Reviews
"I'm drab, crabby and friendless. I fill my days fighting a constant battle to keep my dignity." - By: A. Furse, 20 Dec 2008 
Well, Eleanor Rigby is a definite improvement on Girlfriendin a Coma. The characters are well-drawn & I did care about them: & there are plenty of witty Coupland-esque observations on modern life & some beautiful moments & turns of phrase. There's a lot about sight/blindness which is interesting, & the narrator is quirky & offbeat & all the things a narrator should be.
However, I found the moves through time only confused me, & I couldn't work out what (if any) purpose they served. The actual format of the novel itself is never explained, as it starts as a fairly traditional novel, butin the later stages it is strongly suggested that actually the narrator is writing this down like a sort of diary. I couldn't work out the function of this & thought it should have either been explained, or preferably left out altogether. In fact I started to wonder if it'd been done to justify the ending, which felt rushed, uncared for, & largely unnecessary. The word corny isn't quite appropriate, but it's not a million miles away.
This is the third Coupland novel I have read that I've found slightly unsettling (and notin a good way): they all opened well, but this only lulled me into a false sense of security as the novels never quite delivered. Too much insane "spirituality" stuff all too often comes across as both dull & unbelievable. And sometimes, I get the feeling that he writes what he thinks he should, rather than what's authentic to the characters, & meaningful to the reader.
I loved it! - By: Louise Giblin, 09 Oct 2007 
Like most Coupland, it was slow to start but it was worth the wait! I loved the initial emotional pain you felt for the aurator & the other main characters, however I also felt the relief when things worked out (well sort of?)in the end.
Eleanor Rigby - By: , 06 Jan 2006 
Most of this book is shatteringly good. It portrays the loneliness of a single woman so well it was painful to read - the reality, & the bitter understanding of it, is amazingly constructed.
My only problem was with the ending - the unavoidable tragedy is so climactic, & so upsetting, that it would be hard for anything to follow, & I think that what does follow is underwhelming.
Having come to Coupland through Generation X, I couldn't believe how different this book was. It's astonishing & funny & bitter, & a testament to Cooupland's skill, because his main character is so very real.
Couplandtastic - By: , 12 Jul 2005 I long awaited for the release of this book & although throughly enjoyable it was a little slow to take off, but once it did it reminded me of why it was worth the wait.
Typical Coupland - By: , 05 Jul 2005 Another great novel from Coupland taking on more life-changing events interspersed with small town American culture & just a smattering of fantasy. He tweaks some of those sensitive spotsin all of us whilst reminding us of our fragility & potential for so much more. Just ripe for a movie contract I reckon (or maybe a home movie).
